Outlet-box cover.



G. B. MOBEAN.

OUTLET BOX COVER.

APPLIOATION FILED 1111.23, 1901.

903,221. Patented Nov.10,19os.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

G. 1s.Y MQBBAN. OUTLET BOX COVER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 23, 1907.

903,221. Patented Nov. 10, 1908.

2 SHEETS-'SHEET 2.

, -an improved tions,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE B. MCBEAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO MECHANICAL t ELECTRICAL MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

OUTLET-sox Govan.

No. eoafaai.V

L specification of Letten Patent.

' Patented Nov. 1o, 190s.

Appuumon mea rabrwy za, 19m. sum No. s5s,sso.

-To all whom 'it may concern:

Beit known that I, GEORGE B. MCBEAN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State i of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Im rovements in Outlet-Box'Covers, of which e following is a specification.

This invention relates to im rovements in outlet box covers for electric i ht installaand particularly to that c ass Vofsuch devices in which a metal cover is directly combined. with a' porcelain o'rl similar nonconductin socket for receiving the screw threaded ase of an incandescent lamp, or the equivalent plu of any electric connector. The object of te invention is to provide form of fastening between the metal portion offthe cover and the porcelain socket Jfor the lamp, which shallbe simple ofeonstruction, easy of ap lication and ef- :fective and rmanent in its olding powerand to pro'vlde means whereby all danger of short circuiting between the metallic portion .of the cover and the terminal wires and connectionsl within the outlet box is done away with. And te this end the invention consists in the niatters'hereinafter set forth and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, whlch/will be fully understood when considered Iin connection with the accompanying drawings, in which,-

Figure 1 is a transverse sectional detail of an outlet box coverconstructed in accordance with my inventionin one form. Fig. 2l

is s similar view showmg the two portions of the cover in the act of being applied to each other. Fig. 3 is a vsectional detail taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail in side elevation, showing one of the recesses in the side of the porcelain socket, with which the' fastening ears on the metallic 4portion of the cover interlock. Fig. 5 is a pers ctive detailshowlng the shape of ,one of e fastening-ears prior to its enent. with the rcelain socket. Fig. 6

is a transverse sectional detail of an outlet box cover constructed in accordancawith my invention but slightly modified from' the form shwn in Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a similar view showing the two portions of this cover in the act o bein applied to eachV other. 8 -is a sections detail taken on line 8-8 of 'g. 6. Fig. 9 is a perspective detail showing the inturned fla proved cover,

around the neck.4 of thel metallic cover an showing the Leach ear then occupying recess 9, while the face o i manner in which the lug is struck from this flange to interlock with the recess in the porcelam socket.

In said draw' gs, Figs. 1-5, 1 designates the metallic or anged portion of my imwh-ich is adapted to close -the open side of any ordinary wall or outlet box of the character commonly .used in the wirin of houses and lotherbuildings for electric lig tin 2 is a, porcelain socket which fits throug an opening in the center of the metallic flange 1, after themanner presently to be described. lThe socket 2 is lined with the usual metallic sleeve 'which is threaded to receive the screw threaded base of an incandescent light bulb, or the similar lug of any other electric connector. This s ecve is here shown as secured in place by two clamping screws and 5, of which the latter forms connection with one of the binding'post terminals (ii/for the circuit connections ofthe socket. The other binding post 7 is shown as connected with the usual center screw 8, the head of which is designed to make contact with the end of the lamp or electric plug,- in the usual manner. These details of construction, however, will be understood to be purely illustrative,A as their details have no particular bearing on the present invention.

My improved mode of fastening the metallic flanged portion 1 of the cover to the socket 2 involves the revision in opposite sides of the 4socket of) recesses 9, and the provision at neck of the metallic flange 1, of fastenin ears 10 that are adapted to interlock wit the recesses 9 when the flange and socket are broughttogether. In stamping out the* metallic flange 1, the ears 10 are eftprojecting downwardly in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of the flange, atzthe opposite edges of the central opening 11 1n the flangie through which the inner end of the soc et 2 is adapted to llit. Then when the socket is thrust into the aperture in the flan and the parts are forced together, the en of the ears strike the usual shoulder 12 on the socket and are deected thereby, so that they bind inwardly and fol` low the curves of the 9 until comletely reversed in .position and doubled Back, as shown in Fig. 1, the body portion of the correspondin the ange 1 around corresponding points inthe.

the central opening lits closely against the annular shou der 12 on the socket. In this manner the parts are caused to lirmly and permanently interlock so thatino strain or blow to which the cover will ordinarily be subjected, will in any manner affect the permanency of the connection.

The above description relates more ticularly to the construction shownjn 1-5. In the slightly modified construction shown in Figs. 7-9, the general shapes of the flange 1 and socket 2 are the same, and the socket is provided, as before, with the opposite recesses 9, but instead of having ears 10, the flanlge 1 is provided with an inturned annular co ar portion 13 ada ted to closely surround the neck of the socliet just above the shoulder 12, and then, after the parts are brought together, the metal of the collar portion 12 is swaged forming lugs 14 which, by their en agement with these recesses, hold the parts rmly interlocked. ,V

In order to prevent short circuiting from occurring between the terminals on the inner end of the socket or the circult wires attached thereto in the outlet` box, on the one hand, and the metallic {ianged portion 1 of the outlet box cover, on the other, the latter is shown 1n Fi -6-9 as provided with a lining 15 forme of non-conducting fiber or other suitable non-conductingmaterial, whichis bent to conform closel to the inner'surface of the Han e,1 of `t e cover. herein s own as vfastened to the cover by eyelets 16 punched out of the metal of the flange 1 itself and left integral therewith, thus forming, lining in place.

I claim as my invention l. An outlet box cover conductin socket having an annular exter- .nal shoul er facing toward its inner end and recesses extending radially inward and lying inside of said shoulder, and an annular mecuring the metal into the recesses 9, thereby' This lining ilsI in effect, rivets which hold thel comprising a noneoaaai tallic cover portionl embracingsaid socket and bearing a l'ainst the shoulder thereof and provided with integral projections extendlng into said recesses and abutting against the walls thereof whereby the cover is held rigidly and permanently against said shoulder -aud agalnst rotative movement on the socket.

2. An outlet box cover comprisin a nonconducting socket, an annular metal iccover portion embracing said socket, means for se- 1c co'ver portion upon the socket, and a non-conducting lining for the inner face of the metallic cover portion, said llning being secured to the metal by integral eyelets formed from the metal, substantially as described.

3. An outlet box cover comprising a nonconducting socket having lateral recesses and an annular shoulder in proximity to -said recesses, and an'annular metallic cover por-- tion embracing said socket and mpinging'on the annular shoulder thereof, said cover por- .tion having ears which are forced in to permanently lnterlock. with the recesses, substantially as described.

`4. In combination with a non-conducting annular socket of the type set forth having recesses in its outer wa 1 extending radially inward, of a metal cover having -a central hole for the passage of said socket, inte gral portions of this cover being *extendedr radially inward into said recesses and being shaped to closely abut against the walls thereof, wherebyy the lcover and socket are Apermanently locked against any movement on each other.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I aiiix my signature 1n presence of twoV subscribing witnesses, this 15th 'day of lebruary, A, D. 1907.

GEORGE B. MCBEAN. Witnesses K. A. COSTELLO, M. Y. MCGRATH.

body of the 

